Grading the Deal: Cincinnati Bengals Signal Defensive Finish Trey Hendrickson

March 17, 2021

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It’s an off-season like no other in the NFL and the Cincinnati Bengals stressed that they want to take advantage this unique financial climate. Now is the time to maximize Joe Burrow’s potential and bring a winner to hungry Bengals fans everywhere.

Cincinnati has made three major additions to its defensive in the past 48 hours. We’ll evaluate each signature, break down the position and value impact, and give you a key status you need to know about each player.

Without further ado, let’s meet some of these new faces on Cincinnati’s roster.

Trey Hendrickson, margin: C +

Trey Hendrickson came on stage with 13.5 sacks last season. He used his chances on a defensive front in New Orleans. The move stinks a bit like desperation afterwards Carl Lawson made a deal with the Jets late Monday evening. The Bengals had the fewest sacks in the league with Lawson, and there’s no strong argument that Hendrickson is an upgrade over the Auburn product on the right.

Positional impact

Hendrickson is poised to take on one of the most important positions in defense. He positioned himself on the right side for the saints most of the time. Now he will take the same seat that Lawson was for the Bengals last season. As one of the top cap hits on this team, Hendrickson is asked to still play more than 53% of the snaps Lawson was in the field for 66% of the snapshots in 2020.

The biggest reason for optimism is the compound effect Hendrickson showed – the more he plays, the more powerful he becomes.

Hendrickson posted a print rate of 12.3% on 236 pass rush snaps in 2019 and followed at a rate of 16.7% on 317 rushes in 2020, according to Sports Info Solutions.

Statistics to know: His 7.5 sacks expected ranked 24th on the ESPN metric, which indicates the person who hit their blocker first versus the person who finished the sack. He was also treated as the average pass rusher by defying the defense.

Value: The Bengals have essentially signed Hendrickson to an annual contract with a total payout of $ 2021 in 2021. There aren’t any tough commitments after this season, so it’s up to Hendrickson to prove that he can be a perennial sacking player with 10+ players. This is markedly different from the contract signed by Lawson, which includes guarantees of $ 30 million. If he shows up, the Bengals are keen to replace Lawson. While the opposite is leaving the team in a similar place as on Sunday – in search of a leading sack artist.

Chidobe Awuzie, CB: A-

The Bengals got the ball rolling faster on day two of the free hand by signing former Dallas Cowboys corner Chidobe Awuzie for three years. Awuzie are the Bengals who start in front of the cornerback across from Trae Waynes. Awuzie appeared in eight games last season, a total of 38 tackles, a fiddly recovery, an interception and five passes defended.

Position impact: This move was one of the many signs that William Jackson III would not return to Cincinnati. He signed with Washington and now the Bengals defense relies on two border cornerbacks who have never played a game for the team. Awuzie can thrive in the right defense, unfortunately Dallas 2020 was a disaster on this side of the ball. The 2017 second round election suffered from the disruption around him. He also looked at a problem with the Achilles tendon. Combine the injury with head-scratching fixtures from former Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Nolan and it’s obvious why Awuzie and the rest of the team were fighting for defense.

Statistics to know: According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Awuzie has narrowed 30.9% of his goals since 2017. This is the seventh highest score among 71 defenders with 200+ targets over the period. Jackson III took 5th place (31.7%) on this metric.

Value: This is a bargain for the Bengals to replace Jackson III with. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that the deal is valued at $ 21.75 million over three years, up from $ 9.25 million in the first year. That would make him the league’s 26th highest-paid cornerback per year. A bargain for a player who has played most of his career to number one cornerback status

Mike Hilton, CB: B +

Lots of new faces are poised to make their mark in the Bengals secondary school, including former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Mike Hilton. The Defensive Back signed a four-year deal worth $ 24 million to play in Cincinnati. Hilton is one of the best flashing cornerbacks in the NFLHe expects to maintain the same mentality as a howitzer coming from Mackensie Alexander’s nickel cornerback position.

Position impact: Meet your new slot stoppers ladies and gentlemen. Hilton’s talent for chasing after the passerby adds another crease to Lou Anarumo to use on game day. Seahawk’s Safety Jamal Adams wears the crown for best speed camera in any secondary school, but Hilton has a strong case for second place. Of the eight defenders who scored at least 55 pass rush snaps in 2020, Hilton’s sack rate (5.5%) was second only to Adams, according to Sports Info Solutions.

Statistics to know: According to Pro Football Focus, Hilton allowed a rating of 59.9 passers-by from the slot in 2020, trailing only Darnell Savage (58.0).

Value: Cincinnati increased its investment in the launch of Slot Cornerback by over 50% with this contract after Alexander paid $ 4 million in 2020. Hilton has the skills and track record to surpass that number. Anarumo is the X factor in this equation as he works out the best way to use Hilton’s physical presence in the slot.

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